Arby's Bread No Longer Contains A 'Yoga Mat Chemical' Banned From Food In Multiple Countries - Tasting Table

"Also called ADA, azodicarbonamide strengthens gluten bonds in bread. It makes the final product rise higher and have a fluffier texture. However, research has shown that it breaks down during cooking into other compounds, including semicarbazide, a known carcinogen that may increase cancer risk based on animal studies."

"The FDA approves its use up to 45 parts per million in flour, but Australia, the U.K., and the European Union have banned it as a precautionary measure."

"ADA is also used in plastics manufacturing to make tiny bubbles in material so it becomes soft and spongy, which is what earned it the nickname 'the yoga mat chemical.' In 2014, Subway eliminated ADA from its bread."

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is a chemical additive used in bread production to strengthen gluten bonds, creating a fluffier texture and higher rise. However, research shows it breaks down during cooking into semicarbazide, a known carcinogen linked to increased cancer risk in animal studies. While the FDA approves ADA up to 45 parts per million in flour, Australia, the U.K., and the European Union have banned it as a precautionary measure. Arby's removed ADA from its ingredients by 2026, following Subway's elimination of the additive in 2014 after consumer advocacy campaigns. The chemical is also used in plastic manufacturing to create soft, spongy material, earning it the nickname 'yoga mat chemical.'

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